We’re surrounded by beauty in Oudenaarde. From local parks and gardens to beautiful architecture, beauty is all around. We’re lucky as a heritage city to have some beautiful buildings with a lot of historic significance. Book a stay in Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde and plan an architecture tour of our beautiful city. You’ll find stunning designs and awe-inspiring buildings such as the Town Hall, Liedts Castle and Saint Walburga Church and some beautiful spots to visit like the Marina. Book on our website to enjoy our best available rates and up to €10 per night cheaper than anywhere else. We’ll also include a welcome drink.
1. Town Hall & Belfry (Stadhuis)
We’ll start with the beating heart of the city, Market Square, a welcoming place which is close to one of the most important and impressive buildings in Oudenaarde, The Town Hall. The iconic Town Hall building consists of the former 14th-century Cloth Hall and the 16th-century Belfry in Brabant late-Gothic style. Believe us when we tell you, it’s worth taking some time to admire this beautiful building and all of the small features that make it so unique. Decorated with collars adorned with angels, mermaids and hunting scenes, the longer you look, the more you see. Unsurprisingly, the Town Hall & Belfry have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and should be on everyone’s Oudenaarde bucket list.
2. Liedts Castle
Oudenaarde looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale and we even have the castle to prove it! After Oudenaarde fortifications were destroyed in the Battle of Oudenaarde, the vacant grounds were sold, part of which was to a prominent family called the Liedts. The family bought the domain on the Eindries and designed a park and a whitewashed cottage for its patriarch Charles Liedts. After his death, his son, Amedée Liedts, converted the cottage into the present Liedts Castle in 1883. It was built in a neo-classicist style with predominant Renaissance characteristics. Amedée who remained childless, donated the castle with its library, art collections and valuables along with the park to Oudenaarde in 1907 where it remains as part of our architectural heritage to this day.
3. Saint Walburga Church
If there is anything that signifies your arrival into Oudenaarde, it’s the magnificent 88-metre-tall spire of St Walburga’s Church. Churches tend to be impressive architecturally no matter where you are in the world, but St Walburga is a little different. The monument was constructed in two different styles. The early Gothic choir section built in Tournai limestone dates from the 12th century, while the lower church is an exquisite example of 15th-century Brabant Gothic architecture. Aside from the walls, the stained-glass windows are truly spectacular both inside and out and make it a gem of architecture in Oudenaarde.
4. Oudenaarde Marina
While technically not architecture, the beauty and engineering of the Oudenaarde Marina makes it a noteworthy addition to our list. Around 250m from the Town Hall, you can visit the beautiful marina and see dozens of boats moored. The marina was built along an old arm of the Scheldt, between the draw bridge and the sluice. For centuries the Scheldt was the most important lifeline of Oudenaarde bringing provisions to the population and transporting the expensive and precious Oudenaarde tapestries. The jetty is 550m long and is a lovely walk to the water. There are local and neighbourhood shops like a butcher, a baker, and a chemist nearby and there are showers and toilets that are free of charge to use.
5. Markt of Oudenaarde
Home of the beautiful Stadhuis, the Markt of Oudenaarde is an architecturally beautiful square situated in the heart of the city. The houses and businesses around the square are built in a wonderfully unique style, common in Belgian cities. The centre of the square has a splendid stone fountain, donated by Louis XIV to the city of Oudenaarde. The market square was redesigned in 2019 adding a carpet of natural stone tiles that create abstract patterns on the ground. The Walburga church and town hall are illuminated alongside the fountain creating the most beautiful night-time scene.
Book a stay in Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde and enjoy the highlights of Oudenaarde architecture for yourself. Our four-star hotel offers luxury, comfort and great value when you book directly on our website.
